Odidi Mfenyana
Country: South Africa
www.myspace.com/odidiva
grandioseparlor.com/2008/12/m-net-face-of-africa-final-show-video/
Biography:
Odidi/Odidiva is an entertaining explosion, wrapped in the talents of a singer, songwriter, poet, actor, dancer, M.C. and drag queen. A persona of exuberant energy, bringing a sense of authenticity and theatre to the drag genre, where the focus is on talent and performance, rather than impersonation and mimicry.
Since her 2001 debut in Brett Bailey's BIG DADA, The Rise and Fall of IDI AMIN, Odidiva has become a popular and in demand entertainer in and around Cape Town. He has appeared in several television productions including the lead in SABC 1 drama Interrogation Room, a recurring role in SABC 2 Stokvel, supporting roles in the Canadian productions Human Cargo CBC/M-Net and Charlie Jade CBC/SABC 3. Odidi opened the prestigious Grand Finale of Mnet's FACE OF AFRICA 2008 in Sun City with his signature poem The Afro is African. Together with Douglas Armstrong, he co-wrote and sings the theme song for Siyangqoba/Beat It on SABC 1, a lifestyle programme for persons living with HIV. Odidi has also co-written hit house tracks with International D.J. stars Dino Moran, Bele, Cafe D'Afrique Vol 1, Milk&Sugar and Tony Finger "Say U Love Me", Zoo Club Paris Vol 2.
In 2009 he toured Australia, Austria and the U.K as the Lead Performer of HOUSE OF THE HOLY AFRO, an international hit show co-created by Award-winning director Brett Bailey, Third World Bunfight Theatre Co. The House of the Holy Afro, has averaged 3 foreign tours a year over its 5 year existence and it features original songs and poetry by Odidi Mfenyana, under the music direction of Dino Moran. Performing popular reinventions of hits by female and male pop icons along with original songs, poetry and comic social commentary, Odidiva can currently be seen performing every Thursday at Beefcakes restaurant, Somerset Rd, Green Point to sell out audiences. The Diva can also be admired in a Public Broadcast Announcement music video against Xenophobia and Hate Crimes, Strange Fruit, directed by Jack Lewis, featured on all SABC channels, DSTV and YouTube. Most recently he was invited to be a part of the South African delegation of entertainers invited to perform at the South African 2010 Banquet, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Related Podcasts & Events:
The Afro is African
Afro – It needs no definition, no explanation,
No contradiction, no introspection and definitely
No hateration, for it is just what it is an Afro,
Says the Fashion Bible of the House of The Holy Afro
The Afro, Ladies and Gentlemen is not a symbol
It does no gesticulate or perpetrate or instigate
The Afro is the big black truth
As opposed to the little white lie.
THE AFRO IS AFRICAN
The Afro is Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five
Teaching you your ABC’s, One Two Three
Asking, ‘Can you feel it, can you feel it, can you feel it…?’
Cause if you can’t, ‘…I’ll be there…’
The Afro is not Michael Jackson looking like
An invincible, Dangerous, Bad, Thriller
THE AFRO IS AFRICAN
The Afro is Jimi Hendrix high up in his Electric Sky Church
Giving thanks and praise to that Foxy Lady,
that Electric Lady
That put his soul in a funk of Purple Haze –
His Voodoo Child and the cobra to the conjuror
Miles and miles of Miles Davis
THE AFRO IS AFRICAN
The Afro is the beat, it’s the drum,
It’s the voice of Margaret Singane
singing in twin zone –
‘Bayete ziNkosi!’
Echoing through the Great Rift Valley
The intro, the outro, the verse and the chorus
Of every song of this earth’s great womb
THE AFRO IS AFRICAN
Afro – A style of curly black hair resembling that of African negro
tribes, says The World Book Dictionary
